gushing



June 1, 1943. R. s. CUDINI 2,320,314

' WORK SUPPORTING FIXTURE AND METHOb Filed July 19, 1941 '2 Sheeis-Sheet 2 I BYM wW1-W.

Attorneys Patented June 1, 1943 \VOR-K SUPPORTING FIXTURE AND IJIETHOD Roger G. Cudini, Southfield Township, Oakland County, Mich, assignor to Boy D. B. Moynahan, doing business as Moynahan Bronze C0,, De-

troit, Mich.

Application July 19, 1941, Serial No. 403,194

Claims.

This invention relates to a method of supporting work strips while they are being operated on. The invention aims particularly to support and clamp relatively long hinge strips while they are notched by a plurality of rotary milling cutters.

The invention relates especially to aluminum hinge strips having a perforated bead along one edge, and one object of the invention is to clamp a number of these strips together and support them laterally so that they may be simultaneously presented to a plurality of milling cutters which cut a plurality of notches into the beaded edge of the strip. The device includes support strips which are interleaved between the hinge strips and which support the bodies as well as the beaded edges against the cutting pressure.

Another feature of the invention resides in means to apply a predetermined amount of endwise pressure on the strips in the work-supporting device, this endwise pressure serving to neutralize lengthwise expansion of the strips under the temperature rise resulting from the cutting operation, thus helping to maintain accuracy of the dimensions of the notches cut in the strips.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

While a preferred form of the invention is disclosed herein for purposes of illustration, it should be understood that various changes may be made in the structure without departing from the spirit of the invent-ion as herein set forth and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective partly broken away of a device incorporating the invention.

Figure 2 is a cross-section taken on line 22 of Figure l and showing the device in position confronting the milling cutters.

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross-section of one of the support strips.

Figure 4 is a perspective partly broken away showing one of the hinge strips after it has been notched by the milling cutters.

In a co-pending application, Serial No. 377,534 filed February 5, 1941, which has matured into Patent No. 2,288,013, is disclosed a method of making connectors, such as hinges, by first extruding a long strip having a perforated bead along one edge, the strip being preferably formed of aluminum, or other extrudable material. This long strip is cut into lengths suitable .for connector strips, one usable length being about 6 feet, and each of these lengths is then formed with notches which cut into the perforated bead,

the notches of each length being spaced so as to interfit with the notches of another length. Two of these strips are then assembled with their notches interfitted and a hinge pin is inserted in the bore of the perforated beads, thus forming a connector useful as a piano hinge or as a connector to assemble parts such as wing sections of air craft.

The present invention relates to a method and device for facilitating the notching of the extruded strips after they have been cut to length, and does so by providing means by which the strips may be stacked and presented simultaneously to the cutting devices. A preferred cutting device is a milling machine having a plurality of milling cutters Ii] (Figure 2) mounted on a shaft II, the cutters being of the width and spacing desired for the notches.

The fixture of the invention includes a bed plate H! which is formed with perforations l3, and which carries at one end a fixed stop M, the position of which may be adjusted by screw means I5. An adjustable clamp bar It, which is located near the other end of the bed, is moved by an arrangement that will be described subsequently. A flange i1 projects upwardly along one edge of the bed to approximately the height of the strips and is formed with a series of notches I8 which correspond approximately to the notches that are to be cut in the hinge strips. Since the bottom wall of the notches'in the hinge strip is to be cut at an angle to the flat face of the strip, the inner face l9 of flange I7 is arranged at a slight angle, and this angle may be varied according to the angle desired for the bottom wall of the notches.

Each of the connector strips 2!], as clearly shown by the cross-section in Figure 2, has a flat side and a contoured Side from which the bead projects. In loading the fixture one of the strips is placed in position with its fiat side in contact with the inclined face IQ of the side flange l1, and one of the support strips 2| is then placed in contact with the hinge strip. This alternate placing of connector strips and support strips is continued until the entire width of the bed has been covered. The drawings show a fixture accommodating l2 connector strips, but

it should be understood that this number may be varied as desired.

The support strips 2| are made of some suitable strong material, such as brass, and are formed so as to contact and support each connector strip along the bead and at the flat faces, particularly the top and bottomedges thereof.

plurality of connector strips having hollow beads along one edge, the fixture comprising: a bed plate; a side flange mounted in fixed position along one side of the bed plate, the side flange having spaced notches cut in its upper edge; a plurality of support strips adapted to be interleaved with the connector strips, and being formed along one edge with a groove that accommodates the bead of the adjacent connector strip, each of said support strips being formed along said edge with notches corresponding with the notches in the side flange; the support strips standing on the bed plate with their notched edges uppermost, and the connector strips standing on the bed plate with their hollow beads uppermost; means to clamp the interleaved hinge and support strips against the side flange; means to apply vertical pressure to the hinge strips to clamp them down on the bed plate; and means to apply a predetermined amount of endvn'se pressure to the hinge strips to limit their endwise expansion under the heat generated by the cutting operation.

7. A fixture, according to claim 6, in which the means to apply vertical pressure includes a plurality of spaced bars engaging the upper edges of the connector strips between the notches of the side flange and support strips.

8. A fixture, according to claim 6, which comprises means to indicate the amount of endwise pressure applied to the connector strips.

9. The method of clamping connector strips while a plurality of notches are cut in their edges which comprises: interleaving the connector strips with support strips shorter than the connector strips; applying pressure to clamp the interleaved strips laterally; and applying a predetermined amount of endwise pressure to the connector strips to limit their endwise expansion under the heat generated by the cutting operation.

10. The method of clamping connector strips while a plurality of notches are cut in their edges which comprises: interleaving the connector strips with support strips; stacking the interleaved connector and support strips on edge on a.

bed plate; applying lateral pressure to clamp the interleaved strips laterally; applying vertical pressure to the connector strips to clamp them down on the bed plate; and applying a predetermined amount of endwise pressure to the connector strips to limit their endwise expansion under the heat generated by the cutting operation.

ROGER G. CUDINI.

June 1,1943.

PIANO LAMP .Filed June 19,. 1941 INVENTOR 1%; I eovyc [as {fag ATTORNEY G. CUSHING 2,320;815 

